In an innovative way to raise money last year, the successful domestic
Continental team Toyota - United chose to forego a conventional bike
sponsorship in favor of creating its own
United bicycle brand developed in cooperation with Easton . However,
sales of the bikes through the team's web site weren't what team owner
Sean Tucker thought they could be. Therefore, Tucker abandoned his unconventional
approach for 2007 and brought in well-established Fuji Bicycles to outfit
the team with bikes for the new season, which the riders received when
they gathered in Thousand Oaks, California this past January. "We really
needed distribution," he said. "It was something we lacked last year.
Fuji has dealers all over the world."

Head mechanic Shane Fedon says that the United Team Issue Fuji uses
Fuji's Carbon C7 frame and is equipped with a unique Shimano and Bontrager
build specification that differs from Fuji's standard Team Issue. "The
Team Issue is our mainstay frame," Fedon said as he prepped Ivan Stevic's
bike for a long training ride in Thousand Oaks. "We also have the SL-1;
a lighter frame we use specifically for our climbers."

The bikes come equipped with full Shimano drivetrains, including pedals
(riders also wear Shimano shoes). "We run all Bontrager wheels, including
the deep dish (Aeolus) 5.0 for the race bikes," Fedon said. Toyota -
United's choice of race wheels is also not just limited to the tubular
version - the team is also committed to putting the 5.0 clincher into
general racing use. "(The clincher) is a new wheel for us. Generally,
in the history of racing, you want to be on a tubular. But the clincher
technology is advancing so far that Bontrager asked us to give it a
fair shot and we're running fifty percent clinchers and fifty percent
tubulars on the same exact wheel to let the guys see that the clinchers
are just as good."

Training and racing wheels alike are wrapped in Michelin rubber and
Fedon says many of the guys run SRM power meters on their training bikes.
"We're not sponsored by SRM, though," he adds, "The riders provide their
own equipment." The same goes for saddles: "We didn't want the guys
to be locked down to one saddle so as long as it's white (to match the
team bike look), they can choose whatever saddle they want." Looking
over the team truck, it seemed that most riders were quite comfortable
on either a fi'z:ik or Selle Italia saddle.

As for custom touches on his bikes, Fedon says Stevic takes the stock
setup. "He's not too fussy. So long as we make it ride perfect for him."